I agree, but at the moment we've effectively closed the door because who the hell gets a plane from outside the EU to Ireland?
Entirely necessary imo.
The we need workers spiel is a nonsense as well spouted by the reprehensible hospitality industry etc who want to keep on treating their employees like shit while claiming tax breaks and price gouging to beat the band.
Also all the Ukrainian women are already starting to move into the hospitality sector and in a few years their kids will start to look for employment as well.
The construction industry isn't short workers, it's short materials and affordable projects. Until that is fixed then it will remain stagnant. If the jobs were there at good wages the young wouldn't be leaving or planning to leave in droves.
Widespread Skills Shortages
Construction companies are facing significant recruitment challenges, which – along with inflation – are limiting their performance. Nearly two thirds (63%) of construction companies are struggling to recruit the talent they need.
Most professionals put the recruitment challenge down to a lack of skilled labour generally (59%) or not being able to find people with the skills needed (43%). But inflation is clearly playing a role; one in ten say that a major factor behind the skills shortage is the cost of living diverting people from construction to other sectors.
RTE
Nearly two thirds of construction companies here are finding it difficult to recruit skilled workers, according to a survey of over 300 firms here conducted by Core Research on behalf of software firm, Autodesk.
They put the difficulty down to a lack of career options and negative perceptions about working in the industry, as well as what many believe to be an exodus of young talent from the country.
Two in five firms say they are actively recruiting.
Despite the recruitment challenges, the mood of the industry is seen as mainly positive for this year.
38% of companies surveyed expect revenue to increase with just one in ten expecting to see a decrease.
However, labour shortage and access to talent are expected to impact Ireland's ability to achieve its housing ambitions.
"This report reveals the high availability of construction jobs in the marketplace but exposes the lack of access to a skilled workforce and the limitations that shortage is putting on the future potential of the construction industry," Brian Roche, Construction Sales Lead at Autodesk Ireland said.
Lack of workers + materials and energy input costs inflation and unattractiveness in the industry = perfect storm of undeliverable housing targets no matter who is in power.
